TV Obits: Chef Tell, Cummins, O'Neill

A roundup of TV people from in front of the camera and behind the scenes who have passed away.

Chef Tell (Paul Erhardt): He was better known to TV viewers as Chef Tell, who cooked on several shows over the years, including his PBS series In The Kitchen With Chef Tell, Regis & Kathie Lee, Evening Magazine, and Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous. According to some, the "Swedish Chef" character on The Muppet Show was based on Erhardt. He died of heart failure at age 63.

Robert F. O'Neill: He produced several TV shows and miniseries over the years, including Murder, She Wrote, Columbo, Quincy, M.E., Mission: Impossible, Gemini Man, Arthur Hailey's Wheels, The Last Convertible, The Sixth Sense, and The NBC Mystery Movie. He died of cancer in West Hills, CA.

Jim Cummins: He was a veteran journalist for NBC News and MSNBC. He started his career in Iowa in the late 60s and reported on many big stories over the years, including the Oklahoma City bombing, the Columbia shuttle, hurricanes, politics, and won an Emmy for coverage of floods in the Midwest. He died of cancer at age 62.